I have a 15-year-old Singer 5-Thread serger (Singer Millenium Series 14U555). Is there any way that I can simulate a coverstitch using just the right and left needles? If not, is there a coverstitch attachment available?

I don't think so. Sergers are limited in the stitches they do because of the combination of needle and looper used to form a certain stitch. You would need another looper in the right position to make a coverstitch, and there's no way to fake another one.

Sergers and cover stitch machines are two different things, just as Sergers and sewing machines are. A handful of sergers are "combination" machines that can serge and with certain chnages to the machine set-up also cover stitch.

Unless you have one of these combo machines, you won't be able to make a serger do a cover stitch.

If your current serger still works and you have the space keep it. Than purchase a new combo serger and you can serger seams with 1 and cover stitch with the other. I also like having 2 sergers for elastic/rollhem set ups.

I've got the 14U557 too and also thought 5-threads = CS but I dug around for the 555 and couldn't find anything referring to CS. The only specifics I came across was a reference to Chain Stitch - maybe that's the 5th thread on this model ? Funnily enough, with all the free manuals available online I had no luck at all finding one for these sergers.

------Claire
1seamatatime.blogspot.comi

There is always something to be thankful for.
I am in control of my reactions !

Really one cannot tell from the amount of threads a serger has as to if it can do cover stitch or chain stitch.
I had an old Babylock model that was a 4 thread model and it could do chain stitch and also a straight seam beside the overlock stitches.
One of my present sergers is only a 4 thread yet is a combo and besides the many different types of overlock stitches it can do 3 different coverhems and chain stitch,
Juki has a 5 thread model on the market now which is the 655 and it can do a chain stitch but not a cover hem.

The types of overlock stitches also vary on sergers being some just do overlock and some do a mock safety overlock and some a safety overlock.
Models can really vary in their capabilities even in the same brand.

I also have this machine, but I brought it over from Scotland to USA! Can it be switched to use the USA power, or is it too new? A sewing machine guy told me only old machines have a switch inside to let them be used in both countries, but I forgot to tell him how old this machine was...any info?
I also looked for manual online, but have to buy from a site. $15.99 from singer site. Thanks

* Advertising and soliciting is strictly prohibited on PatternReview.com. If you find a post which is not in agreement with our Terms and Conditions, please click on the Report Post button to report it.